Teaching Table

An interactive chart about filtration techniques

The exhibition “Water” on the island Mainau in Lake Constance takes place in a relaxed atmosphere amid a sunflower field. Exhibits on oceanography, water treatment and the utilisation of the oceans are shown.

One of the pavilions is filled by the Handwerkskammer Schwaben and its partner Novoflow GmbH. The conceptual design comes from freshframes. In order to make the modern filtration techniques more understandable we have designed an interactive chart which guides the visitor through two filtration processes explaining the definition of the problem, the technical solution and the resulting advantage.

When a visitor empties one of the flasks over the grating, the corresponding fluid appears on the screen. It flows together with its dirt particles to the filter discs, starting the filtration process. Clean white ribbons and water animals symbolise the purity of the water and the success of the filtration process. The whole cycle is explained by textual overlays that describe one after another the polluted fluid, the filtration process as well as the result and the advantage.

We developed a system of ultrasonic sensors to recognise the two flasks. The sensor technology enriches the installation with a hands-on element and thus is helping much with the knowledge transfer.